Webb steers Pirates to victory

Thursday

Aug 21, 2014 at 12:01 AM

Concord has a new captain. After Luke Cornett helped navigate the Pirates to a 1A state championship in 2012 and runner-up finish last season, sophomore Jacob Webb has stepped up to commander of the ship this season.

Will Gilbert

Concord has a new captain. After Luke Cornett helped navigate the Pirates to a 1A state championship in 2012 and runner-up finish last season, sophomore Jacob Webb has stepped up to commander of the ship this season.

“He (Webb) just watched him,” said Concord Coach Keith Cornett. “Luke led us last year when Jacob was a freshman and he just kind of watched his work ethic, seeing how he went about his business practicing and working on his game. I think Jacob stepped right in there and has fell right into what Luke was doing.”

Webb, who averages an 18-hole score in the mid to upper 70s, fired a nine-hole round of 42 on Thursday at Tannenbaum. Junior T.J. Richardson finished with a 49 and freshman Brooks Benton added a 52, giving the Pirates a three-player winning total of 143.

“Jacob has really improved over the summer,” said Cornett. “He can shoot in the 70s on any given round of golf. His short game is good. His putting is good. He gets a little inconsistent off the tee box. That is usually what hurts him.

“ T.J. Richardson will be my No. 2 this year and he is just steady. Shoots most of the time in the mid to upper 80s, sometimes in the lower 90s. We follow those two up with three or four freshman. Brooks Benton will be my No. 3. He shoots around 100 right now,” added Cornett.

Freshmen Hunter Hartwick (53) and Riley Cornett (60) also competed for the Pirates, who topped Shirley (167) by 24 strokes and short-handed West Side (177) by 34 shots.

“Hunter Hartwick, Riley Cornett and Austin Martin will be the rest of the [team],” Cornett said. “I am just really encouraged by the way they have been playing and have taken to golf. I think they will be dandies down the road.”

Concord placed fifth out of nine teams in the Cougar Invitational, which is a two-day tournament played at Cooper’s Hawk and Turkey Mountain.

The Pirates, who have yet to be defeated by a 1A team, then placed fourth at a tournament held at Eagle Mountain in Batesville. West Side played without its top three players: Mason Treece, Dalton Treece and

Hayden Gilmore. Senior Brandon Carr paced the Eagles with a score of 53.Although West Side lost four of its top players, Coach Shane Davis is confident this year’s team can compete at a high level.

“We lost our top two and three of four golfers from last year. Two graduated (Ben Hargrove and Austin Gray and Tyler Cowley transferred to Mississippi.)

“We still have a good group back who have played a lot of matches over the past two years. Mason Treece, Dalton Treece and Hayden Gilmore, who was second on state runner-up in 2012 and fourth place team last year,” added Davis.

The Eagles have some depth with Kaleb Dewberry, who Davis says, “Has gotten a lot better over the summer. He will be in a dogfight with Brandon Carr and Blaine “Pepper” Hipp for the fourth spot.”

The Eagles also have three newcomers, including Dawson Gardner, Aaron Seward and Alex Klepko.

West Side’s Lady Eagles finished with a three-player total of 167 to beat Shirley (184) by 17 strokes as junior Ashley Gentry led the charge with a low score of 52. Juniors Sydnee Phillips (57) and Emily Southerland (58) combined with Gentry for the final tally, while senior Carra Duncan (59) also participated for West Side.

“I am expecting big things from this group of girls,” said Davis. “They made state as a group and finished second to Shirley in district the last two years, so hoping we can get over the hump this year.

“They are really working hard, always out on the course getting better on a daily basis having less than three putts and playing more consistent,” added Davis.

West Side and Concord play at Tannenbaum Golf Club in Drasco again tomorrow.